Universitat Internacional de Catalunya - Barcelona

Scientific Communication 1

• code 12185
• course 1
• term Semester 2
• type OB
• credits 3

Main language of instruction: Catalan

Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish

Head instructor

Dra. Joan PLOETTNER - jploettner-alumni@uic.es

Office hours

Arranged

The aim of this programme is primarily to provide students with the linguistic skills and knowledge required to be able to perform tasks related to health science research.  Critical reading and listening skills for academic and professional contexts are especially emphasized. Professionally related oral and written skills will also be implemented.

 The programme includes class-based lessons, tutorials and self study. The teacher-led lessons focus on developing critical linguistic knowledge related to health science research.  These lessons involve reading and listening tasks aimed at improving receptive skills that are essential for developing research activities including professional presentations.  Speaking activities are emphasized mainly as preparation for conference participation as speakers, as colleagues or as audience members. Writing tasks are mainly designed to consolidate linguistic elements acquired throughout the course. Tutorials will focus on student development and interpersonal skills and will include group projects. Self-study or ‘autonomous learning’ will focus on developing reading, writing and listening skills, consolidating grammar, specific lexis and increasing the autonomy of the learner with respect to learning-related aspects of a foreign language.

Preferred minimum global level is that of a B1+/B2 before the start of the course.

Classroom:

• To prepare and equip students with the lexical and grammatical knowledge necessary to understand, effectively use and synthesize health science research in English.
• To reinforce the receptive skills (e.g. reading and listening) through practice using a variety of stimuli, and to facilitate the development of the productive skills (e.g. speaking and writing).  

Tutorial:

• To develop students’ interpersonal skills and ability to work with others in both native and an additional language.

Self Study:

• To strengthen reading comprehension through tasks requiring students to further analyze language on a lexical and structural basis, main and supporting ideas, and organizational patterns common of English literature related to health science research; to reinforce listening comprehension skills as well as manage language specific to health science research through on-line support and professional website material; to increase writing skills through structured assignments that focus on language, concepts and style used in health science research in English.

• CB9 - To be able to communicate their conclusions and the knowledge and arguments supporting these conclusions to specialised and non-specialised audiences in a clear and unambiguous manner.
• CE10 - The ability to critically analyse and discuss research results and transmit the relevant outcomes
• CE4 - To know how to use critical assessment tools for qualitative and quantitative research articles
• CE5 - To know how to apply the language of scientific writing when communicating health outcomes
• CE7 - To know how to identify health problems on which research may be undertaken and to apply specific techniques to analyse and assess such problems,
• CE9 - To know how to apply specific theoretical and practical knowledge to health science research.
• CG2 - The ability to critically analyse and discuss research results and transmit the relevant outcomes.
• CT1 - The ability to integrate within an established, multidisciplinary and multicultural work team.

Students will be able:

• To assume responsibility for professionally-related English language self learning and professional development. (CB10)
• To deliver research results orally and in writing in English to both specialized and non specialized audiences. (CB9) (CT3)
• To participate in research meetings in English. (CG1)
• To employ appropriate professionally related terminology and linguistic structures in scientific communication (CT4)
• To express ideas and arguments in an organized and coherent way both in written and spoken format. (CT5)

What will I learn?

• To be able to communicate knowledge, analysis and conclusions of  research  studies in a clear and unambiguous way
• To develop language learning skills which will allow you to continue your language development autonomously
• To be able to participate in research meetings in an international setting
• To be able to communicate research findings both in written and oral format
• To be able to manage terminology and linguistic structures realted to scientific communication
• The be able to express ideas in English in an organized and coherent way both orally and in written format
• To use appropriate scientific  language in the communication of scientific results

 Content focus:

• Academic language: Introduction to EBP
• Overview of research design and its application in health science research
• Case studies/Case presentations (Oral presentation)
• Non-experimental research (Writing a research abstract)
• Experimental research (Designing and presenting a study proposal)
• Integrative research

Content focus:

• Academic language: Introduction to EBP
• Overview of research design and its application in health science research
• Case studies/Case presentations (Oral presentation)
• Non-experimental research (Writing a research abstract)
• Experimental research (Designing and presenting a study proposal)
• Integrative research

Mayer D. Essential Evidence-Based Medicine.  2nd ed. Cambridge University Press. 2009

Pagliarulo M: Introduction to Physical Therapy.Mosby Elsevier, 2007

Grove, Susan K., Nancy Burns, and Jennifer R. Gray. Understanding nursing research: Building an evidence-based practice. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2014.